Norwegian Cruise Line drink menus tend to be the same fleet-wide and are consistent across most ships. Changes in what is available in the bars are normally based on each ship’s venues and bars.
For example, there is a whiskey bar menu and a martini bar menu, but those venues aren’t on all ships. Additionally, ships with wine cellars or wine bars have an expanded menu.
- SEE : Norwegian Cruise Line Beverage Packages – Are They Worth It?
What do drinks cost on Norwegian Cruise Line?
Most beer is $7, some wines are as inexpensive as $9-$13/glass and cocktails range $10-$15. There are specialty drinks that are obviously more expensive, but in general, the costs for beverages are reasonable with NCL.
Don’t forget the gratuities on drinks
If you’re NOT on a drink or beverage package, Norwegian Cruise Line charges an additional 20% gratuity on every drink purchase.
Bottled water and coke prices on NCL
For non-drinkers, the cost of a soda ranges from $3-$3.50 depending on which bar you order from and bottled water ranges from $4 for boxed water (500ml) to $6 for premium water like Aqua Panna.
**NOTE** Some of the menus show Pepsi products, as these were taken during the last days that Pepsi was served (Jan 2023) – Pepsi has now been replaced by Coke on the ships.
Now to the drink menus!
A typical beverage menu for pool bars and vibe club area on a Norwegian ship
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Whiskey Bar menu (i.e. Maltings Bar on NCL Epic)
For American Whiskey Lovers on NCL (Updated 2024)
Norwegian Cruise Line has a relatively impressive Whiskey menu. Below are the standard options across the ships for American whiskey (with prices). This can vary a bit.
NCL Martini Bar menu
Shipwide Beverage & Bar menu for all Norwegian Cruise Line ships
These menus are fleetwide and shipwide where you’ll find them in almost all of the lounges and bars.
The HAVEN Bar Menu
You’ll notice that most of the menu has prices of just a few dollars, this is presuming the passenger has the NCL premium beverage package and will only pay the difference in the drink prices.
Wine Menu across the whole NCL Fleet
Wine Menu on NCL Ships with a wine bar (i.e. Cellars or Mondavi)
Some ships have branded wine bars by Mondavi, and those menus rotate availability on occasion. Here are some examples of what you may see in a Modavi branded wine bar on Norwegian Cruise Line
Hi Phil…First time on NCL so I’m not used to how things are. Sailing the Epic in October. We have the regular Free at Sea package, not P+. Not a huge drinker, but when I do drink its got to be Grey Goose. From the menus you have posted now it looks like its right at the $15 mark so I should be good…right? Is bottled water included in the drink package? or do I have to upgrade to P+ for that?
Hi Tina, You should be good with the Grey Goose (assuming they don’t change prices!) But even if they do, you just pay the difference. So if they change it to $16, then you just pay $1. Unforutnately they do not include bottled water or specialty coffee in the regular free at sea package :(. — I’d say it’s no worth upgrading just for the water. They sell the cartons of water, and a lot of people don’t like it because it has a cardboard residual flavor (some people think). SO many people will bring a refillable water bottle and fill it up at a station somehere on the ship. Enjoy your cruise!
Norwegian used to have a lovely cocktail called a something monkey? It had cassis in it and some other gin or vodka base. It was served in a glass with a white something drizzled down the inside and was often added to their martini taster flight. Do you remember it and what it was called and is there a chance we could get them to bring it back! It was my favourite 🥰
Hi Heather, I think your’e talking about the “Monkey Business” cocktail! I don’t recall seeing it on the menu lately. I think you can make it at home with this recipe (here)!
First timer on NCL and we have a drink package covering $1400.0 each, it’s a 5 day Bahama’s cruise on the Sky, in your experience, is the $1400 “enough”?
Thanks
Hello! I think you’re referring to the value of the “Free at Sea” or basic drink package. It’s basically unlimited drinks up to $15/each for that price, so I can’t imagine it wouldn’t be enough!
Hi Phil – first time NCL cruiser. With regards to martinis on board. If I order a Ketel One martini will that put me over the $15 free at sea limit for one drink since it has two shots in it plus the vermouth?
Hi Todd,
The drinks are priced per cocktail not by how many shots there are in the actual drink (thankfully!) 🙂 – So if you order a martini or any other multi-shot drink, it’ll be the price on the menu regardless of the amount of alcohol. I think that’s what you’re asking. Enjoy your cruise!
I hope there is lots of Drambuie on board the Viva in June!!!! th 5 adults in our family always drink Port and Drambuie after dinner, and on some cruises the ship has run out of Drambuie. Fingers crossed!
There is PLENTY! 🙂 I can personally confirm that (without shame). Enjoy!
What about beers? You show everything that is avalable but I didn’t see any beers! I guess that they have classic big breweries but what about craft beers? They must have some.
Hi Sylvain – I’m actually updating all of the menus this week! After your comment, I made an effort to get all of the beer offerings on my latest cruise (NCL Joy Transatlantic)… I’ll post that here shortly.
Phil: Love there is an Irish Bar on EPIC!! I think you have Guinness…….do you also have Smithwicks and Harp? I still don’t see a beer list with pricing. Thanks. Bob G.
Hi Bob! I don’t recall seeing Harp or Smithwicks unfortunately 🙁 – I’m about to upload all new menus this coming week. We just did a cruise and got all new menus scanned.
Hi Phil. The wine list for ships with a wine cellar bar eg Mondavi, has “Premium Plus” against certain wines / champagnes. Does that mean that these glasses are available only to holders of Premium Plus? But are those holders also entitled to all wines which are served by the glass regardless of price? I understand that champagne on NCL for Premium Plus holders may now be restricted to its own Rose Champagne – but there are so many conflicting comments, who knows!?!
Many thanks.
Hi Colin, With premium plus, you can order those specific bottles of wine at meals. The bottle is included in the package. If you have the basic beverage package, the price you see is what you’d pay for that bottle.
With premium plus, if it’s sold by the glass, it’s included always! **a few exceptions to this like Louis XIII which I think is $200 per oz – not surprising it’s not included 🙂
A good example is, where Veuve Clicquot use to be available everywhere on the ship by the glass (and included in Premium Plus), it’s now only in Le Bistro – and is still included with Premium Plus. So if it’s on the menu by the glass, order as much as you want!
So if you find a champagne sold by the glass somewhere, you’ll get it with the P+
A nifty unknown thing though, is some of the Specialty restaurants have a bar within the restaurant and you can go to that bar and order things that might not be available around the ship (like the above Veuve Clicquot)
I hope this helps – if not, let me know!
Wow! Thanks Phil. Not only one of the fastest responses to any on-line query I have made – but more information and facts than even NCL Customer Service could provide! Many thanks
Glad you found it helpful! Enjoy your cruise, and — break even on that package! 🙂
Any frozen cocktails lists?
Hi Nello – Yes! The very first menu has the most common frozen cocktails served (Primarily at the pool bars). They also do some unique drinks that aren’t on the menus.
These are super helpful!! Can’t wait to cruise – drink list prepared – on Sunday!
Glad this could help! Enjoy your cruise!
Do you happen to know how much mocktails, like virgin daiquiris, cost? I’ve yet to find a menu with them included.
Great question! I’ve never seen a menu of mocktails on any NCL cruise, but I know they make anything you want without alcohol. I have a friend that I travel with that doesn’t drink and she orders them all the time, but has a beverage package and never gets charged. I can only presume you should expect to pay the price on the menu, alcohol or not. Just know that they would be covered in a drink package and that they can be made on request. Sadly, I think NCL is missing a huge opportunity by not offering specific non-alcoholic drinks.
Thank you for all the menu information.
Can you advise of the situation for a Cruise guest on a Free at Sea package,leaving from Marseille on 11 night package stopping at Barcelona, Palma,Naples,Rome,Livorno and Cannes,with regards additional taxes for drinks when in port or at sea?
Many blogged cruisers have posted conflicting information.
It’s understandable why there is a lot of confusion. Spain has made some changes recently and random ports in other countries have different regulations.
Expect you’ll be paying 10% VAT on the VALUE of the drink while in spanish waters (within 12 miles of the coast, I believe). In the past, it was only while docked, now it it seems that the VAT tax is charged even while in Spanish water. I’m unsure about Italy and France – but our last cruise recently did not have any taxes while on the Free at Sea because officially we weren’t “buying” anything. Spain is the first country to close that loophole I think. But these Tax rules are changing rapidly, so what you read today may likely change. So far, however, aside from Spain, most taxes are charged for PURCHASES while IN PORT, and not in EVERY port. Confusing, right? In the end, it only adds up to a few dollars – but can still be a surprise.
The biggest change that happened recently was Spain declared that any ship departing a Spanish port would have these taxes charged regardless of the other ports, for the whole cruise. This will definitely add a significant amount to a bill even for the Free at Sea people! Since they’ll be charging on the value of the drink served, even if it’s Free or Included in the Free at Sea promotion.
I’ve yet to speak to anyone that has encountered this first hand… I think the rule just started in the past week or so. I’ll update the article as I know for sure!
Thanks for your reply,as you say very confusing indeed,however as our cruise is leaving from Marseille I can only assume that the charges will not apply for the full duration of the cruise.
I think you are correct, but be prepared for changes and the unexpected, since European countries are making changes with these types of tourism taxes.
What draught beers are available on board Norwegian Epic?
I actually don’t recall seeing any! They were all bottles. I’ve been on the epic 4 times and I don’t think there have ever been taps come to think of it.
Hi Mick,
Thanks for sharing this! We’re planning on trip on the Norwegian Joy at New Years.
What was the Whisky bar like on the Joy?
Do you know if they’re changing the scotch/whisky options frequently?
Many thanks
Hi Nicole,
We haven’t done the Joy (YET), but planning on the transatlantic back after it’s Jan 2024 refurb. That said, the Maltings Bar on the Encore (sister ship) was quite lovely, as it is on Epic. The menus are shared in the Maltings bars across all ships from what I’ve experienced. The changes that stand out between some of the ships is the fact that Johnny Walker Blue wasn’t available all the time (or even on the menu) but it was on the Encore. Other than that, the menu has basically been the same since 2019. Enjoy the cruise!
Why don’t any of these blog entries state how much a soda costs? If I knew how much a soda costs, I can determine if the ~$10/day is worth it for me. Thank you!
Hi Ann, If you take a look at some of the menus, they show sodas, etc. Expect to pay $3 for a soda + 20% service charge. Other non-alcoholic items like energy drinks and bottles of water, expect to spend about $5 each. (plus the service charge / gratuity )